PATS reimbursement wait times blow out for Mid West residents, MLA calls for financial relief

Concerns are growing across Geraldton and Mid West as residents continue to wait for reimbursements under the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme, which are now taking up to three months to be processed.

Geraldton MLA Kirrilee Warr said the extended wait times for reimbursement and lack of State Government action on expanding the scheme was having an effect in Geraldton.

PATS is a State-funded subsidy program aimed at helping rural and remote residents pay for the financial costs of having to travel long distances for medical treatments not within their local community.

According to the WA Country Health Service, the typical wait time for reimbursement was 30 days.

However, Ms Warr said Geraldton residents had reported wait times greater than 12 weeks.

Ms Warr raised the subject with Health Minister Meredith Hammat in Parliament in May, stating it was a frustrating situation for the community.

“Residents are telling me they cannot afford to be out of pocket for months, especially when these medical appointments compound,” Ms Warr said.

“In the cost-of-living crisis we are in where prices continue to rise, the delays for reimbursement are putting significant stress on families.”

Ms Warr said she recognised and acknowledged that PATS was not a full cost-recovery scheme, yet when payments were significantly delayed it started to become more of a financial strain.

In addition to addressing it directly in Parliament, Ms Warr said she had written to Ms Hammat on multiple occasions over the issue and her response had not properly addressed the concerns.

Ms Warr said the minister outlined staffing concerns as the primary issue associated with delays and could not confirm when this would be resolved.

“Residents in Geraldton and the Mid West deserve better and should not be disadvantaged in terms of access to healthcare,” she said.

A WA Country Health Service spokesperson apologised to patients in the Mid West experiencing an extended wait time for PATS reimbursements.

“We know people rely on this assistance to help cover the costs associated with traveling to access specialist services,” the spokesperson said.

“The community should be assured we have taken immediate action to improve reimbursement wait times. This includes an increase in PATS clerical staff to process applications more efficiently.”

The spokesperson said for anyone in the Mid West experiencing hardship related to reimbursement delays, there was a PATS phoneline to support them.

“For patients experiencing financial hardship, assistance may also be available through the Assistance in Advance pathway which allows eligible PATS subsidies to be paid prior to travel,” they said.